Aqueous suspensions containing colloidal particles form thin solid deposits when they are left to dry. Cracks will appear in this deposit, whose characteristics depend on the drying conditions, the chemical composition of the particles and the particle volume fraction in the suspension. As time progresses, the cracks form increasingly complex patterns. Similar phenomena are observed in nature when mud dries out or during desertification. The focus of this project is to understand the relation between the crack pattern and the corresponding drying stresses and the thickness of the deposit.

Trying to comprehend the beauty and complexity of nature often leaves me mystified, and I am excited to reach an understanding of pattern growth during this SuperUROP. I have already done a Summer UROP working on the project and by continuing I hope to solidify my understanding of dissecting natural phenomena to reveal the underlying science behind observations.